Court to sentence whites who shoved black man in coffin

Victor Mlothshwa in court watching on as the two men who abused him are sentenced [Azad Essa/Al Jazeera]

Middelburg, South Africa - Sentencing proceedings are set to take place over the case of two white men who were found guilty of kidnapping, assault and intent to do grievous bodily harm after they shoved a black man in a coffin and threatened to set him on fire.

Proceedings were being heard at the Middelburg Magistrate's Court on Monday after the men were found guilty of six out of seven charges in August 2017.

The courtroom was packed to capacity as activists and representatives from some of the major political parties flocked to witness the conclusion of a case that shocked the country.

The incident caught the country's attention after mobile phone footage showed the two white farmers pushing Victor Mlothshwa, an unemployed resident of the surrounding area, into a coffin in August 2016.

Oosthuizen and Jackson pushed Mlothshwa into a coffin in August 2016 [Screengrab/Al Jazeera]

The men, Willem Oosthuizen and Theo Martins Jackson, could be seen trying to close the lid of the coffin with their boots as Mlothshwa begged for his life.

The men could be heard hurling abuse and threatening to douse him with petrol and set him on fire.

The incident took place on a farm close to Komati power station in Middelburg, a northeastern town, and spurred national outrage, prompting recollections of the country's racist past.

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Outside the court on Monday, around 250 people gathered to sing, dance and show solidarity with Mlothshwa. Holding placards that read "Black Lives Matter", and wearing T-shirts bearing the faces of anti-apartheid icons Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, the protesters said they were demonstrating against abusive, racist behaviour.

Activist Luyanda Magadala, 35, said that white South Africans need to remember that the country has changed. "Our forefathers taught us that we are equal. They cannot treat us like this."